I have been testing and re-testing my unattended installation for weeks now with no real problems. Up until now it has been through the network, with the workstation being added to the domain and everything. So the one line of my unattend.txt looked like this:

[Identification]
    JoinDomain=Domain Name
    DomainAdmin=Domain account username
    DomainAdminPassword=********

But I now need to run it off of a different subnet, so the domain is unavailable (although I can still connect to the server for the actual installation files). So the only things I changed in unattend.txt were the IP settings and the [identification] line, which now looks like this:

[Identification]
    JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

So the installation starts fine, and even goes through the whole XP part. But when it comes time to reboot and auto-logon as the local administrator (for application installations), it stops at a welcome screen saying "Let's spend a few minutes setting up your computer" :

Screenshot (linked due to large size)

If I now hit the power button and let it reboot, it then does the auto-login and continues the installation. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, but I'm at a loss. Help!!

EDIT -- If it helps, here is the entire unattend.txt, with any personal information blocked out:

unattend.txt

The domain should still be available on the different subnet. From your unattended.txt it looks like you're using a WINS server. Connecting to the domain should be no problem.

Looking through your unattend.txt I don't see anything wrong. Is this a windows 2000 installation? I noticed the C:\WINNT in your unattend.txt. If so make sure it's slipstreamed with SP4.

It's XP -- I just like to call my Windows folder "WINNT".

I guess it was inaccurate to say "different subnet". What it's doing is connecting to a small switch, which in turn is connected to a second network adapter on the server. Sounds convoluted, but it has to be that way (it has to do with the building having the ports locked down by MAC address).

So the gateway is the IP address I have set for that second adapter -- by default I just call it 192.168.1.1. And the PC's IP address is 192.168.1.3. I hope that makes sense.

By going this route, the domain is not recognized, so I just do a workgroup (I'll add the workstation to the domain later). But that doesn't explain why it should give me that welcome screen....

-bump-

How are you installing the OS, via BootCD, DOS using winnt.exe or WinPE using Winnt32.exe? If you are running this from CD you may want to try to add UnattendSwitch = Yes into the unattended section.

From the Ref file

Use UnattendSwitch only when you perform an unattended Setup with Winnt.exe, Winnt.sif, and the CD Boot method. This entry is not necessary if you use Winnt32.exe to run Setup.

Note:

UnattendSwitch is not the same as the UnattendedInstall entry in the [Data]section of the answer file. UnattendSwitch controls Windows Welcome; UnattendedInstall does not.

Hope this helps.

Mike

mbouchard:

Nope, no CD. This is done purely through the network.

But regardless of network settings, why the heck would that "welcome" screen come up?

Has that ever happened to anyone else?

hi,

this sounds like you forgot one of the following in aour Winnt.sif:

[Unattended]
    UnattendSwitch="yes"
[GuiUnattended]
    OemSkipWelcome=1

please check if it is in your winnt.sif and try again

hope this helps a bit

cya

Killer Bee

I don't have a "Winnt.sif" file, but I have an "unattend.txt" (which is really the same thing, just an answer file).

I already have

[GuiUnattended]
   OemSkipWelcome=1

And I have

[Unattended]
    UnattendMode=FullUnattended

But I've never actually had

UnattendSwitch="yes"

(OK, I never really knew about that line ), but it never came up before. I'll put that in and see what happens......

USUALLY the welcome screen pops up when you have not joined a domain, only a workgroup.

Correct me if I'm wrong, guys.

USUALLY the welcome screen pops up when you have not joined a domain, only a workgroup.

Correct me if I'm wrong, guys.

But this line will nix it, right?

[Unattended]
   UnattendSwitch="yes"

Doesn't work for me...I still have to join a domain to keep the "Welcome" screen away.